Container



March 27, 1962 E. s. KORDOWSKI CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26. 1958 BY W$ March 27, 1962 E. s. KORDOWSKI 3,027,038

CONTAINER Filed May 26. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A J INVENTOK United States ware Filed May 26, 1958, Ser. No. 737,767 4 Claims. (Cl. 217-12) This invention pertains to a container and in particular to bulkpaekaging containers such as pallet boxes.

Users of bulk packaging containers such as pallet boxes have acquired the practice of buying in disassembled form the component parts used in the construction of the pallet box. The advantage of buying the components in this form is that they take up considerably less room so that they may be conveniently transported and stored in a minimum of space until ready for use. This practice requires that the box be readily assembled at the point of loading. Furthermore, if the box is of the reusable type, it is necessary that it be readily disassembled at the point of unloading so that its component parts may be stacked in a'compact bundle suitable for storage until further use. One of the foremost objects and features of this invention is to provide a pallet box of a new and novel construction to meet the above requirements.

A more specific object and feature of the invention is to provide a pallet box that may be readily assembled from its component parts. Another object of the invention is to provide a pallet box that may be readily disassembled into its component parts which may be stacked in a compact bundle suitable for storage. A still further object of the invention is to provide a pallet box of a simple and economical construction. A still further object of the invention is to provide a pallet box construction that may be used in the handling of various types of materials, whether heavy or light.

These and other objects of the invention will be ap.

parent upon reading of the specification with reference to the following drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of pallet box embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a segmental view of one of the sides used in the construction of the pallet box in greater detail;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a segmental view in section of one of the sides used in the-construction of the pallet box illustrating the method of assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view of the pallet box embodying the invention.

It will be apparent upon reading of the specification that the various members used in the construction of the box other than the wires, nails, staples, and the like may be constructed of various suitable materials such as wood, fiber board, and the like.

While the invention is described in terms of a pallet box, it will be apparent that the invention may be modified so as to be applicable to other types of containers particularly in the bulk packaging field. Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown therein one form of a container designated by the numeral 10 embodying the invention. The container is generally rectangular in shape having the vertical side walls '12 mounted on a base member 14. In one preferred form the side Walls 12 are constructed of a plurality of vertical slat members 16 and a plurality of horizontal cleat members 18, 2t 22, and 24. However, the sides may be constructed of a single sheet of material where desired. The cleat mematent here 36, as shown in FIGURE 3.

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hers are secured to the associated slat members 16, in a conventional manner by nails, staples, or the like. Extending along each cleat member and secured thereto is a wire 26 preferably having the return bent loops 28 at each end. The ends of the cleat members may be chamfered so as to form a beveled corner, as shown in FIG- URE 1. The return bent loops 28 overlap the chamfered ends so as to form a strong but smooth corner free of any sharp projections when the box is assembled. The loops 28 on the abutting cleat members are secured together by the tie loops 36 in the manner shown in the drawing. This construction provides a desirable hingelike connection between the sides when the box is disassembled.

The construction and corner assembly of the side walls of the box as now described and shown in FIGURE 1 is substantially the same as that shown and described in the co-pending application of the same assignee entitled Reusable Wire Bound Pallet Box, Serial No. 655,070, filed April 25, 1957, now Patent No. 2,981,433, issued April 25, 1961. It will be apparent that this type of side wall and corner construction is merely by way of example, and that other types of construction may be used. For example, it is not necessary for the wires to extend com-- pletely along the cleat members, in that short lengths of wires at the ends of the cleats may be used. Moreover, the beveled corner may be eliminated where desired and a square corner may be used.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, the construction of base 14 can readily be seen. The base includes a platform 32 supported by the skid members 34 having the cut-away portions 35. The skid members 34 and the cut-away portions 35 are spaced so as to provide a four-way entry of the forks of the lift trucks used in transporting the pallet box and its contents. The cut-away portions may be eliminated where desired so as to provide a two-way entry pallet box.

Extending around the sides of the platform 32 are cleat members 36 which in effect form a ridge around the edges of the platform. As can be seen from the drawings, the cleat members 36 serve to laterally position the associated sides 12. when mounted on the platform 32. The cleat members 36 also prevent the sides 12 from bulging outwardly due to the weight of the contents of the box. intermediate the ends of each cleat member 36 is a slot 40 which is aligned with a similar slot 42 in the cleat member 24.

It will be noticed in the side removed in FIGURE 6 that the lowermost cleat member 24 is spacedfrom the lower ends of the slat members 16. This space desig-- nated by the number 38 extends alongside the cleat mem- It will be further noticed, particularly in FIGURE 3, that in the preferred embodiment the cleat member 24 is spaced from the cleat member 36 when the ends of the slat members 16 are resting on the platform 32, for reasons that will be apparent later on.

In one form of the invention each of the sides 12 is secured to the platform 32 by a substantially U-shaped latch member 44. The latch members are slidably secured to the sides 12 by the slots 42 formed between the sides and the cleat members 24. When the latch member 44 is in its lowermost position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 and its associated side wall is in the assembled position, the lower horizontal portion 46 of the latch member 44 is received in the slot 40. The co-operation of the horizontal portion 46 and the upper horizontal portion 43 of the latch member '44 with the cleat members 24 and 36 firmly secures the side 12 to the base 14.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, there is shown a preferred method for assembling or disassembling the side 12 and the base 14. It should be pointed out that three of the sides can ordinarily be assembled to the base by merely moving them into position along the cleat members 36 with the latch members 44 in engaging position as shown in FIGURE 3. However, it is not possible to position the fourth side in the same manner, due to the interference from the three sides already in position.

The method that will now be described for assembling the sides is particularly adaptable for assembling the fourth side or for removing any one of the four sides after the box has been assembled. Assuming that it is desired to insert the fourth side of the box after the three sides have been assembled, the following procedure may be used.

The fourth side is first positioned so that its ends abut the ends of the two adjacent sides. A suitable prying instrument such as a screwdriver or the like is then inserted in the aforementioned space between the cleat member 24 and the cleat member 36. The prying instrument is then rotated upwardly so that the side 12 is bowed inwardly as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. When the side is bowed a sulficient amount for the horizontal portion 46 to clear the inside edge of the cleat member 36, the latch member 44 is then lowered to the engaging position, as shown in FIGURE 5. The prying instrument is then released so that the side can return to its normal position. As a matter of fact, the latch member 44 will normally fall into the engaging position by gravity so that the side may be simply bowed and then released, and the side will be automatically engaged. The tie loops 30 may then be fastened at the ends of the cleat members, so that the side is firmly secured in place.

It is readily apparent that the same procedure may be used in disassembling the fourth side from the base 14 after the box has been assembled. The only difference in the disassembly operation from the assembly operation is that the latch member 44 is raised from its lower position to the upper or disengaging position, after the side has been bowed inwardly.

As can be seen from FIGURE 6, once the fourth side is removed, the three remaining sides may be readily removed and folded on themselves with the tie loops 30 acting as hinge members to form a compact bundle. The three sides along with the fourth side may then be stacked on the base 14 of the pallet box so as to form a compact package. A strap or wire may then be wrapped around the base and the stacked sides, so as to prevent the latter from sliding off.

It should be pointed out that two or more latch members may be used with each side, particularly where the side is relatively long. Where more than one latch member is used on a side, the side should be sufficiently bowable that all the latch members are movable from engaging to disengaging position and vice versa.

It should be pointed out that a lid member (not shown) of some suitable type may be used with the pallet box. The lid member may be of some conventional type that has been disclosed heretofore.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that one of the major advantages of the subject invention is its ease of assembly and disassembly. Moreover, when the component parts of the box are in their disassembled condition, they may be stacked into a compact bundle which can be conveniently stored in a minimum of space for further use. It should be pointed out that the construction of the box so as to feature ease of assembly and disassembly does not result in a sacrifice of strength and durability. For this reason the box is especially suited for the handling of materials whether heavy or light. In fact, the contents of the box will tend to make the sides bow slightly outwardly or away from disengaging position, so that the sides are more firmly secured to the base.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that this is merely an example and in no way isto be construed as a limitation. It is contemplated that certain modifications may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet box comprising a platform, a cleat member secured adjacent to each of the edges of said plat form and upwardly projecting therefrom, a plurality of thin-walled sides mounted on and removably secured to said platform, with adjacent sides being in abutting relationship at their ends, each of said sides when mount-. ed on said platform being held by the sides abutting its ends in abutting relationship with the inner face of one of said cleat members, means securing the abutting ends of said sides to form the corners of said box, a vertically slidable latch member secured to each of said sides adjacent to the bottom thereof and having a portion projecting outwardly therefrom, means for securing said latch members to said sides in which said means limits the uppermost and lowermost positions of said latch members, each of said cleat members having a recess extending transversely therein and facing generally toward the center of said platform, said projecting portions, when said latch members are in said lowermost position, being aligned with the recess in the abutting cleat member of association and being slidably received therein, said means preventing upward movement of said sides when said portions are received in said recesses whereby said sides are secured to said platform, at least one of said sides being flexible so that it may be bowed inwardly an amount sufficient so that said outwardly projecting portion clears said cleat member whereby said latch member may be moved between said uppermost and said lowermost positions.

2. A pallet box comprising a substantially rectangular platform, a cleat member secured adjacent each of the edges of said platform and upwardly projecting there from, a plurality of thin w-alled sides mounted on and removably secured to said platform with adjacent sides being in abutting relationship at their ends, each of said sides when mounted on said platform being held by the sides abutting its ends in abutting relationship with the inner face with one of said cleat members, a vertically slidable U-shaped latch member secured to each of said sides adjacent to the bottom thereof in which the sides of the U are in superimposed relationship and project outwardly from the side of attachment so as to form upper and lower portions, means for securing said latch members to said sides in which said means cooperates with said upper and lower portions to limit the lowermost and uppermost positions of said latch members, each of said cleat member having a recess extending transversely therein and opening toward the center of said platform, said lower portions, when said latch members are in said lowermost position, being coincident with the recess in the cleat member of association and being slidably received therein, said upper portions engaging said means when said lower portions are received in their respective recesses to prevent upward movement of said sides relative to their respective latch members whereby said sides are secured to said platform, at least one of said sides being flexible so that it may be bowed inwardly an amount sufficient that said lower portion clears said cleat member of association whereby said latch member may be moved between said uppermost position and said lowermost position.

3. A pallet box comprising a substantially rectangular platform, a cleat member secured adjacent to each of the edges of said platform and projecting upwardly therefrom, a thin-walled side mounted on and removably secured to said platform adjacent each edge thereof, each of said sides extending for substantially the length of said side when mounted on said platform and being held in abutting relationship with the inner face of said cleat member by the adjacent sides abutting at each end, means for securing said sides in end abutting relationship, a vertically slidable U-shaped latch member secured to each of said sides adjacent to the bottom thereof, said U-shaped latch member mounted so that the sides of the U project outwardly from the side to which it is secured and are in superimposed relationship so as to form upper and lower portions, means for securing said latch member to said side in which said means cooperates with said upper and lower portions to limit the lowermost and uppermost positions of said latch member, each of said cleat members having a recess extending transversely therein and opening toward the center of said platform, said lower portion, when said latch member is in its lowermost position, being coincident with the recess in the abutting cleat member of association, and slidably received therein, said upper portion engaging said means to prevent upward movement of said side relative to said latch member when said lower portion is in said recess whereby said side is secured to said platform, said side being flexible so that it may be bowed inwardly an amount sufficient so that said lower portion clears said cleat member where by said member may be moved between said uppermost and said lowermost positions.

4. A pallet box comprising a platform, a cleat member secured adjacent to each of the edges of said platform and upwardly projecting therefrom, a plurality of thinwalled sides mounted on and removably secured to said platform, with adjacent sides being in abut-ting relationship at their ends, each of said sides when mounted on said platform being held by the sides abutting its ends in abutting relationship with the inner face of one of said cleat members, means securing the abutting ends of said sides to form the corners of said box, means for securing at least two opposite sides to said platform comprising a vertically slidable latch member secured to each of said sides adjacent to the bottom thereof and having a portion projecting outwardiytherefrom, means for securing said latch members to said two sides in which said means limits the uppermost and lowermost positions of said latch members, each of said cleat members having a recess extending transversely therein and facing generally toward the center of said platform, said projecting portions, when said latch members are in said lowermost position, being aligned with the recess in the abutting cleat member of association and being slidably received therein, said means preventing upward movement of said two sides when said portions are received in said recesses whereby said two sides are secured to said platform, at least one of said two sides being flexible so that it may be bowed inwardly an amount sufiicient so that said outwardly projecting portion clears said cleat member whereby said latch member may be moved between said upper most and said lowermost position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 295,046 Parker et a1 Mar. 11, 1884 1,574,804 Flagstad Mar. 2, 1926 1,602,783 Sands Oct. 12, 1926 2,507,693 Collier May 16, 1950 

